Making my own A pillar pods, how should I adhere these?
 

Im making my own A pillar pod using the stock trim and wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations for adhering these to the trim to its bullitproof :D

I'll post up some more pictures for a FAQ on how I made this..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040524.jpg

reason I'm making my own is because a company called lotek I purchased one from and the guages aimed outside toward the window..

not for me, so I make my own :)

mine is going to hug the A pillar closely.. :thumbup:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040527.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040543.jpg

So if you guys could give me some ideas of how to make this work the best, that would be greatly appreciated..

I believe the black plastic is ABS.. :cool:

I use Polyurethane for nearly everything, because it works with nearly everything, you can get it in black as well, I tend to get the black polly roof caulk, because it holds up to heat well.

If you want them removable, I'd figure out a way to bolt them from inside the trim piece.

If not, then I would use some of the left over epoxy from your tonneau project. Attach the pod with a fillet of epoxy and fiberglass tape, sand, paint, done...

P.S. I love watching all your projects. Your ability to get stuff done amazes me...:D

- LostCause

Heres a write up by a guy on another forum I visit. Looks pretty good IMO.

http://board.tercelonline.com/viewthread.php?tid=25732

Thats sounds like it has some potential.. :thumbup:

nah, fixed position is what i'm aiming for, a clean one piece look is what I like.. :D

Thanks man, I couldnt have done it without the internet and search :D

That turned out pretty darn good..
I like his results.. :thumbup:

I'd like to figure out how to replicate texture too..

This is actually my gauge pod project. Its a bit more involved so I didn't bother posting it. What I'm doing to keep the textured surface is using a wrinkle paint. Its not exactly the same texture as the rest, but its the closest I could find.

VERY NICE!! jet fighter cockpit style!

I was thinking for the texture you could use a build up primer and press a grainy section of leather against it while its tack.. Just an idea..

IMHO Attach it however you need, then cover it with either fabric, vinyl, or leather.

A few pieces on the golf are sprayed with Spray on bed liner. works out OK, but not great.

IIRC, you can buy texture paint...I believe it goes on like a primer ;)

If you're going to paint (and not wrap with cloth).... Do try and avoid gloss paints... look for more of a satin or matte finish (buy some samples and try to match).... Nothing kills the aesthetics more than having one gloss panel when the rest have a satin finish :p

texture paint does go on similar to a thick primer, very dry. Bear in mind that it doesn't hide imperfections nearly as much as you would think.

Check out the Fabrication forum at MP3car.com for lots of ideas, but be warned they are the ones that convinced me a 15" tft would fit in a mkiii supra.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/fabrication/

ok, I've got this project back in mind...
I'm about to dive back into this and get things finished up,
still looking for adhesion tips for these into the stock trim..

Chris -

I have this "pod on a stalk" for one of my todo-list gauges :

UNIVERSAL SINGLE GAUGE SWIVEL MOUNT METER POD gauges
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVE...QQcmdZViewItem
http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sel...lpod_thumb.jpg

Cheesy but get's the job done.

CarloSW2

I'm not a fan of guage pods, I've ran them in the past..
pictures are say, 12 years old?
http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...rierguagej.jpg
http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...nderneathj.jpg
http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...ieldwiresj.jpg

Not classy enough for me.. I like that streamlined look..

so I made this for my car using a pod made for a mustang..
it had some cracks and stuff using bondo.. it held up just fine,
but I want to overkill on the adhesion stregnth..

http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...pillershot.jpg
http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...ages/image.jpg
dirty finger prints ;)
http://www.hometown.aol.com/chargert...oseupboost.jpg

Good idea. I'll have to give that a shot. The original texture is much more leatherish than what a wrinkle paint would provide. :thumbup:

WHoa! an update finally!!!!!

I just found the baddest stuff to use ever in all my experiences of bonding plastic to plastic..

I desided to stray away from the usuall epoxy plastic stuff and I went with the loctite 1 minute no mix..

A bit pricy for how much you get, but this stuffs beyond hardcore..
as I was letting it setup, I bonded 2 pieces of scrap plastic the grey trim I cut off the A pillar and some scrap left from the A pillar pod I trimmed off..

I didnt scuff these like I did to the project just to see how good it works..
I used to sets of pliers for a tug of war, NOTHING.. I was bending the heck out of the plastic and being pretty violent and all that happened was the plastic itself fatigued, the bonding agent laughed at me and just made me feel weak ;)

Heres what I did.. Not a lot, but its a start.. :)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040648.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040649.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040650.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040651.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040652.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040653.jpg

smells a bit like burnt hair, so you KNOW its gadda be good!!!!! ;)

I heated up the plastic a little more since the adhesive was holding it in place..
turns out heat plus adhesive wasnt too good of a call LOL

came apart a little bit..

so I just filled it in with this other stuff I bought called Professional Welder..
The Loctite stuff was sweet to work with before I went at it with a heat gun..

I simply used the wire wheel deal on a dremel and the adhesive wears away before the plastic..

So I'll just use this Professional Welder stuff to "grout" it flush and just grind it down and a few payers of primer and It'll be good to go, I still have to add the other pod on the upper side..
The Profess Welder stuff takes 24 hours to setup, so I have some pressure on it..

If I had it my way, I would have bought lots of that Loctite and made quick work of it..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040654.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040655.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040656.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040657.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040658.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040659.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...r/P1040661.jpg

this too is stuff I've never used.. hit or miss, no biggie.. gadda experiment
with new materials all the time or ya never find the bigger or better..